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Assisting Soup Kitchens & Food Pantries

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Ending Hunger Through Citizen Service

Be Part of the Anti-Hunger Movement!

The New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH) is dedicated to helping build the movement to end hunger in America. We do this by promoting and implementing the most strategic practices that address the root causes of hunger, and engaging people of all ages and backgrounds in advocacy and long-term, strategic volunteerism.

While NYCCAH values all types of volunteerism, the Coalition is working to transform the way people think and act to end hunger in their communities and around the country. The truth is that relatively few pantries and kitchens need more untrained volunteers to perform manual food service tasks. What these agencies really need are dedicated long-term volunteers or professional and technical volunteers (e.g. experts in web design, grant writing, or accounting) who can help increase the organization’s capacity to meet client needs.

We also need more people who are actively engaged in advocacy and outreach efforts to ensure that everyone who is eligible for federal nutritional assistance programs, such as SNAP, WIC, and school meals, has access to these resources. And to speak up for more long-term solutions, such as living wage policies and more affordable healthy food in low-income communities. Write a letter, start a petition, make a call, join a rally, send a tweet – these are all ways you can volunteer to advance food security in our neighborhoods; they don’t take much time on your part, but have the potential to make the greatest impact.

This is what our Ending Hunger through Citizen Service Initiative is all about. We work to move people from accepting hunger to ending it; from perpetuating short-term charity to being active participants in a broad-based movement to ensure all people in the US have access to sufficient, affordable, nutritious, and convenient food.

If you are interested in coordinating a group outreach activity, please contact Director of Strategic Volunteerism, Rebekah Gowler, at: rgowler@nyccah.org.

Want to be part of this movement? Here’s how:

Visit www.hungervolunteer.org to learn more about the most effective ways volunteers can help fight hunger. There are resources for youth, adults, groups, businesses, and anti-hunger organizations.

NYCCAH does not operate its own food pantry or soup kitchen. If you are an individual interested in helping with direct food or meal service at any point during the year, please visit our Hunger Maps feature to find a pantry or kitchen in your area and contact them directly to find out about their volunteer needs.

Are you a Corporate Group?We are happy to partner with corporate groups, and assist you in planning service opportunities for your staff. To support our volunteer program, NYCCAH charges a small placement fee for this service. Please refer to our Corporate Groups FAQs for more information.

Interested in joining AmeriCorps VISTA? If you are looking for a long-term opportunity to support anti-hunger work, that also serves as great professional development, you are welcome to apply to our Anti-Hunger Opportunity Corps, a national AmeriCorps VISTA program. You can find out more about the program and how to get involved by visiting their website.